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International journalism volunteer programs offered through CrossContinental.org are designed to give participants hands-on experience and a taste of local culture. Volunteer traveler Jake West from New York recently returned from a month-long journalism project in Nepal. The trip was created to cater specifically to Jake’s personal growth while also leaving a positive impact on local communities.

Educational travel, a service provided by Cross-Continental Solutions, is rapidly becoming the favored travel option for many high school and college students. More and more youngsters are feeling burnt out from classroom education and yearn to gain real hands-on experience and cross-cultural understanding. As such, international internships and volunteer abroad opportunities have become a major source of philanthropic activity for gap year programs. In the attached video (http://youtu.be/SBiCMsEHrng), Jake recalls his experience and talks about some of the work he was involved in.

Speaking of his experience as a volunteer traveler, Jake said, “I’ve been very happy overall. The most rewarding part of my experience was that I was allowed to participate in real journalism and experience the real Nepal. Instead of simply being a tourist, I was given the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way.”

Jake traveled all over Nepal to create a journalistic record of his stay there. His duties typically included taking newsworthy photos of local scenery, producing news reports for an English news program, carrying out field visits and interviews, and editing the news articles he wrote during his visit. In addition, as per his request, his host family planned regular visits to a local orphanage, conveniently located only 20 minutes away from the home-stay on foot.

His host family was located at a place called Bharatpur near Chitwan National Park, surrounded by Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha, the capital city Kathmandu, as well as the tourist city of Pokhara. He was also well within the reach of modern amenities during his stay as Bharatpur offers supermarkets, banks, and transportation.

Jake reported, “I’ve been very happy with my coordinator's services. CCS (Cross-Continental Solutions) provided an excellent balance of freedom and security. I felt as though I could explore and adventure, while always feeling safe and happy.”

Cross-Continental Solutions chose Chitwan Nepal as Jake’s destination because of its historical value and unique location. As an important trade route through Nepal, Chitwan is home to the world famous Chitwan National Park where Bengal tigers and one horn rhinos are major attractions.

To conclude, Jake said, "I would recommend CCS (Cross-Continental Solutions) to anyone who wants to explore the world. The fees are very affordable when you consider the great lengths CCS goes through to cater to your experience. They give you the opportunity to adventure on your own terms, while always insuring you are safe, happy, and healthy."

Cross-Continental Solutions provides affordable yet flexible volunteer abroad, intern abroad, cultural immersion, language study, and gap year programs. A large variety of work placement options are available such as: Teaching, Healthcare, Community Development, Business Coaching, HIV work, Care-giving, Orphanage Work, Journalism, Photography, Wildlife, Agriculture, Environmental Protection, Microfinance, Tourism, Marketing, and more. Programs are available at many locations around the world, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By living and working side by side with locals, participants gain an exceptional cross-cultural experience and the opportunity to truly make a difference. For more details, visit CrossContinental.org.